BERGAMA PEOPLE WON ANOTHER COURT CASE IN TURKEY

by Emet Değirmenci
December 13, 2001

Bergama people are seeking justice both in Turkey and at the European Human Rights Court for a while. This time they heard a good news in
their country.

"Mesut Yılmaz, previous prime minister is guilty for not carrying out the court's order of closing the gold mine in Bergama."

The Supreme Court of Turkey is reported to have found Mesut Yılmaz, the  Prime Minister of the time when the court decided that the mine in
Bergama be closed, and four cabinet members guilty for not carrying out the court's order and announced that the villagers should be paid for
the damages they were exposed to. [Cumhuriyet, November 15, 2001, translated by Uğur Altunay]

While Normandy Mining processing one year test production, local people has started to complain about the effect of cyanide. They state "our
agricultural product such as olive and tobacco have already started to spoil because of the dynamite explosion.  We
can not imagine what will happen in the future due to cyanide emission in to air and any possible cyanide accident in this region. This is our
most fertile area. If they go ahead they will use 3000 tons of cyanide".

The leader of the villagers, Oktay Konyar has made a press release to express local people's concerns to the Australian authorities lobbying
Turkish government, on 27th of November 2001. He says "We are against any kind of imperialism. Normandy can not ignore local people's
continuous strong opposition here persisting. We heard recent two cyanide disasters in Ghana. We are saying that once again! our
government should listen the Turkish Supreme Court's decision. There is no public interest on this mine. You can't pay foreign debt in this way.  You are
imperiling our future by giving permission to the multinational mining companies".

According to Anatolian News Agency's news on December 4th 2001; the Supreme Court's declared to pay indemnity  to local people. Therefore, 
the case will be held at the Ankara 5th Civil Court soon. Previous major, Sefa Taskin says "this decision gives us a hope that civil law
should work in this country. Now we are waiting the High Court decision to say go home Normandy". 

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